Florida Southern College invites church youth groups for weekend event

Church youth groups are invited to Florida Southern College (FSC) in Lakeland July 16-18 for the first Summer Weekend.

Youth groups will worship, play, study and grow deeper in their faith with other Christian youth while staying on campus. The event begins with dinner July 16 and ends July 18 after worship.

The cost is $75 per person, including food and lodging. For more information call Mike Crawford, FSC's director of church relations, at 863-680-6211.

Seminar focuses on the importance of individual worship

Pacesetter Bible School presents "The Power of Worship" July 27-29 at Rockledge United Methodist Church.

The weekend is designed for participants to spend time worshipping God, learning how to bring intimate peace into daily living, getting to the next level of worship and incorporating praise and worship with traditional hymns.

The cost is $50 per person and $30 for spouses who are registered.

Pacesetters Bible School was launched by Pine Forest United Methodist Church. It is designed to serve people of any denomination who wish to study the scriptures seriously, learn to understand their faith better, learn to articulate their beliefs clearly and minister to others.

For more information call Pacesetters Bible College at 850-968-1155 or Rockledge United Methodist Church at 321-632-7387.

Dr. Marcia McFee, who led worship at the 2004 Florida Annual Conference Event June 3-6, will give a hands-on worship workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 at Tuskawilla United Methodist Church in Casselberry.

The seminar's goal is to help pastors, church musicians, worship design teams and other worship leaders evaluate and enhance liturgy of any style. Topics include nurturing worship teams, increasing congregational participation, the "politics" of change, starting new services, utilizing music and other arts, and worshiping with imagination and integrity. Participants will learn creative techniques and strategies to involve more people in both worship and the design process through seasonal teams.

The cost is $50 per church for up to eight people, with a $5 fee for each additional person. Attendees must provide their own lunch.

For more information call 407-893-7300 or e-mail Linda Mobley at LindaM59@msn.com.

The event is sponsored by the Orlando District Healthy Church Initiative.

Weeklong event focuses on congregational development

The West Ohio Annual Conference is hosting the School of Congregational Development Aug. 5-10 at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio.

The event is designed for church teams and laity who want to focus on new church development, turning around churches and high potential churches.

The Rev. Mont Duncan, executive director of the Florida Conference's New Church Development office, said his ministry has participated in the event for more than six years. He said it is one of the best provided by a general agency.

The cost is $400 per person. The registration deadline is July 5. For more information call Josephine Hinton, General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM), at 212-870-3864.

The event is sponsored by the Joint Committee for Congregational Development, the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church and GBGM.

Church seeks song to celebrate Holy Communion

Orange United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, N.C., is searching for a congregational song that will express what it means to participate in the celebration of Holy Communion.

The text can focus on aspects of the liturgy, appropriate scriptures passages, such as Luke 24:13-25, or its rich imagery. The words may be designed to fit an existing tune or be set to an original tune.

The winning entry will receive $500, plus travel expenses to Chapel Hill for its dedication Nov. 7. Other outstanding texts may be awarded an "honorable mention" and included in a devotional booklet. The church will have the right to the song without fee, although copyright will remain with the author.

*Wacht is director of Florida United Methodist Communications and managing editor of e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.**Buchholz is a staff writer for e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.